Volunteers needed to prep park for 2016 centennial celebration

Date: July 28, 2015
Contact: Jane Cowley, 215-597-0060

The National Park Service is gearing up for its 100^th anniversary and is looking for volunteers

Philadelphia – In the run-up to the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service, parks are inviting people to find their park and volunteer. Nation-wide, the NPS will increase the annual number of volunteers from 250,000 to 1 million. To help achieve this goal, Independence National Historical Park's new Centennial Volunteer Ambassador is making it easier than ever to sign up as a park volunteer, starting with a volunteer training day on August 8, with additional training days each month after that.

National Park Service "Centennial Volunteer Ambassadors" are working in parks across the country, including Independence National Historical Park, through the support of the Student Conservation Association. Kris Allen, the new Centennial Volunteer Ambassador at Independence NHP, is a recent Temple University graduate with previous experience working in national parks.

"I've loved living in Philadelphia and I'm a huge supporter of our national parks, so this is the perfect job for me," Allen said. "For me, the most exciting part is reaching out to residents who live around a national park but maybe don't visit that often, getting them involved with the national park right in their own backyard."

Among other ideas to increase volunteerism, Allen is holding volunteer recruitment and training days at Independence NHP every month, starting on August 8. She will continue to recruit volunteers for upcoming training days in September and October, so that people who are interested in volunteering can more easily sign up and get out into the park even faster than before. about the opportunities offered, potential volunteers are invited to visit volunteer.gov or contact Kris Allen at e-mail us or215.861.9940.

Volunteers at Independence NHP get to work with visitors, lead programs on the history of our nation, tend to park gardens and take care of the park's historic resources. Centennial Volunteer Ambassadors are stationed in parks across the country, from great natural parks like Yellowstone to urban parks like the National Mall and Independence. All the ambassadors work with the public, the surrounding communities, and the park's staff to create an environment of passion for the protection and well-being of our national parks. Learn more about the Centennial Volunteer Ambassadors and their activities at https://nps100sca.wordpress.com/. Or join the conversation with #FindYourPark, #NPSVIP, and #nps100sca.

The Student Conservation Association places students or recent grads in national parks around the country. Interested students apply through the Student Conservation Association and are matched up with appropriate parks based on their interests and experience. The programs gives young people a chance to get a feel for what it's like to be a National Park Service Ranger, to see the inner workings of the park and get up close and personal with rangers and visitors.

www.nps.gov/inde

A unit of the National Park Service, Independence National Historical Park was created by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1948. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Independence NHP covers almost 54 acres in Philadelphia's Old City, and includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, and other historic buildings associated with the founding of the United States. The park is open from 9:00 am daily with the exception of Christmas day. A visit to Independence National Historical Park should start at the Independence Visitor Center, located at 6^th and Market Streets.Here, visitors can pick up a park brochure, park map, and the free, timed tickets required for Independence Hall.For more information visit the park's website, https://www.nps.gov/inde or follow us at twitter.com/independencenhp.